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BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 1, no. 3 (2009) A Scholar’s Perspective By Glenn Drexhage. Dr. Peter Ward, University Librarian pro tem at UBC Library, steps down from his post at the end of June. Here, we provide a brief tribute and news of his successor. Peter Ward joined UBC Library in December 2005, and was appointed University Librarian pro tem in March 2007. Prior to these appointments he served in many other roles at UBC, including Head of the History Department and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts. opened in February 2008 and instantly become a dynamic presence on campus and beyond. Its B.C. History Digitization Program, the recent winner of a Programs and Services Merit Award from the British Columbia Library Association, is a major driver for the development of digital content in the province. Ward’s leadership enabled the Library to secure added funding from the University to develop its digital library programs. Soon after joining UBC Library, Ward launched a planning process that led to the establishment of an institutional repository called cIRcle (https://circle.ubc.ca); a new teaching and learning position to link the Library and campus teaching programs; and supports for librarians undertaking research roles. In 2008, Ward planned and organized the first meeting of directors from the Canadian Association of Research Libraries, University press directors and provosts to discuss changes in scholarly publishing. This followed the Ithaka Report, which advocated new synergies among these groups. Ward has worked collaboratively among B.C.’s public and post-secondary libraries. He recognized the networking spirit among librarians and has taken every opportunity to foster collaboration among UBC’s peers, locally and around the globe. Ward brought the scholar’s perspective to library management, and created connections between a Library and the faculties. His ground-breaking scholarship on the Chinese head tax registry, housed with Library and Archives Canada, offers a wealth of genealogical resources to the Chinese-Canadian community and illustrates new ways that university research can connect with the community. Peter Ward, photo by Merry Meredith. During his time at the Library, Ward helped oversee the completion of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (www.ikebarberlearningcentre.ubc.ca), a new facility on the UBC Vancouver campus that offers innovative learning support and bridges the academy with the community. The Learning Centre http://bclabrowser.ca UBC Library employees who worked with Peter in recent years are grateful for his support. We deeply appreciate all that he has done and wish him the best in the next stages of his life and career. We will all miss him. ISSN 1918-6118 BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 1, no. 3 (2009) UBC Library’s new leader A UBC alum is returning to her alma mater to become the 14th University Librarian. Ingrid Parent begins her new job in July for a six-year term. She comes to UBC from Library and Archives Canada, where she was the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Documentary Heritage Collection Sector. She also led the organization’s digital agenda. Parent graduated from UBC with degrees in history and library science. She began her career with the National Library of Canada, moving on to Université Laval in Quebec City. From 1994 to 2004, she was the Director General of Acquisitions and Bibliographic Services at the National Library of Canada. Ingrid Parent. Photo provided by Ms. Parent. Parent, who is fluent in English, French and German, has been involved with various other groups, including the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Glenn Drexhage is the Communications Officer at UBC Library/Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118

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